Quick Summary: The best way to preserve basil’s bright flavor and color for winter. Includes Marcella Hazan’s classic pesto recipe and tips for freezing in large batches or ice cube portions. Add cheese and butter after thawing for the freshest taste. Prep: 15 min | Makes: 16 oz
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Pesto? | For Freshest Flavor in Winter | How to Freeze | How to Use Pesto Sauce | FAQ
Basil is a tender herb, and when the cool Fall weather comes in, basil is the first thing to go at HeathGlen Farm (in Minnesota).
Unlike the woodier herbs, basil loses much of its flavor when dried, so the best way to preserve the basil for the Winter months is by freezing. Unfortunately, it loses its bright green color when frozen, but if you freeze it as a basil pesto, you are preserving both the taste AND the color.
The secret to the freshest winter pesto is to freeze the basil with oil only. Add the garlic, nuts, and cheese after thawing. Garlic mellows and deteriorates when frozen. Cheese loses some flavor too. Freezing without them lets you customize later and keeps the flavors vibrant.
Origins of Pesto
Pesto is a delicious and much loved sauce “crudo” (raw) made from Genovese Basil, a cultivar of sweet basil named for the city of Genoa, in beautiful Northern Italy.
This traditional recipe, whose predecessor originates from the Roman Empire, also includes pine nuts, minced garlic, Pecorino Romano or Parmigianino Reggiano grated hard cheese, and olive oil.
The name “pesto” comes from an old Genovese verb which means to “pound” or to “crush”. The original method of “crushing and pounding” the pesto ingredients was in a marble mortar using a wooden pestle.
Preserving Basil for the Freshest Taste
Basil freezes well when made into a pesto, and it doesn’t discolor as much as it would if you just freeze the individual basil leaves.
For the absolute freshest winter pesto, freeze basil and oil alone. Add garlic, nuts, and cheese after thawing.
Why this works:
- Garlic texture deteriorates when frozen
- Cheese flavor mellows in the freezer
- Freezing without these ingredients lets you customize later
Cooks Tips:
- To preserve color: Blanch basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water. Pat completely dry before processing. This “sets” the bright green color.
- To prevent browning: Cover the surface of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil before sealing. The oil barrier minimizes oxidation.
How to Freeze Basil Pesto
The ingredients of a classic pesto can be frozen together as a pre-made pesto if you want to save some time when you get ready to use it.
My favorite recipe is Marcella Hazan’s recipe in the recipe card below. She does not add the cheese before freezing, but she does add the garlic and nuts.
Here are the general rules for freezing:
- Large batches (½ to 1 cup): For family pasta dinners. Transfer pesto to a sealable container, cover the surface with olive oil, seal tightly, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave on defrost, stirring intermittently.
- Small batches (ice cube trays, 1-2 tablespoons): For adding bursts of flavor to grilled vegetables, pizza, soups, or salad dressings. Pop frozen cubes into a freezer bag once solid.
- Storage time: Use frozen pesto within 6 months for best flavor.
How to Use Pesto
Traditional Italian cooks use pesto primarily for seasoning or saucing pasta, and sometimes a dollop in minestrone soup or on focaccia bread.
Italian Americans and home cooks around the world also use pesto on pizza or to flavor meats or fish.
Traditional Italian uses: pasta (linguine, fettuccine, gnocchi), a dollop in minestrone, spread on focaccia.
More ideas:
- Scrambled eggs or any egg dish
- Sauce for salmon, chicken, or beef
- Mixed into pasta salads
- Added to oil and vinegar dressing
- Sandwich spread
- Drizzled on grilled corn
- Mixed with cream cheese for crackers
FAQ
Yes. For vegan pesto, add extra nuts and a pinch more salt. Nutritional yeast adds umami if desired.
Oxidation. Cover the surface with olive oil before freezing, and make sure basil is completely dry before processing. Blanching also helps preserve color.
Refrigerator (overnight) or microwave on defrost setting, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds.
Yes. Cilantro, parsley, or arugula work. The flavor will differ but the technique is the same.
Yes. Walnuts are more affordable and add a slightly earthier flavor. Almonds also work.
Yes. Basil, oil, nuts, and cheese are all low-carb. Pesto works well for keto and slow-carb eating.
Check out this preserving category for more guides on drying, pickling and preserving fresh fruits and vegetables.
Basil Pesto for Freezing
Equipment
- medium size bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Aged Parmiggiano Regianno
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano added before serving.
- 3 tablespoons butter room temperature
Instructions
- Briefly soak and wash the basil in cold water, and gently pat it thoroughly DRY with paper towels.If you want to preserve the green color as much as possible, blanch the basil leaves by dunking them quickly in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunging in ice water before drying.2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
- Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, chopped garlic, and an ample pinch of salt in the processor bowl, and process to a uniform, creamy consistency.½ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves, salt to taste
- If you are making the pesto for the freezer cover it at this point with a layer of olive oil and do not add the cheese and butter.The cheese and butter will be added when it is thawed and before serving.
- When ready to use pesto in your meal, first thaw it out. Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the two grated cheeses by hand. When the cheese has been thoroughly mixed in with the other ingredients, mix in the softened butter, distributing it uniformly into the sauce.½ cup freshly grated Parmesan , 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano added before serving.
Can I use plastic containers?
Sure Lesley. Just leave some headspace in whatever container you use as the contents will expand in the freezer.